The God of War video game series is loosely based on Greek and Norse mythology. Many of the gods were introduced early in the series and recur throughout many games. The game is acclaimed for its macabre battles, and you can't go ten minutes into the game without witnessing epic carnage.
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PostsAlthough inconsistent with Greek and Norse mythology at times, Kratos' hatred for gods evolves throughout the story. At the same time, Kratos forms relationships with gods like Athena, who (spoiler alert) he kills by mistake. With Kratos' god kill count mounting ever higher, here are some of the gods Kratos killed and how he took them out.
Updated On January 10, 2025, by Lucas Olah: We haven't had any new games since Ragnarok and its Valhalla expansion, but Kratos has quite the list of people he sent to Hades or Helheim, so to speak. From Sparta to Scandinavia, many fell when they made the mistake of fighting our God of War/Hope, so it was more than fair to update our list a little, adding a few gods we haven't mentioned, as well as just general reorganization. It's worth mentioning that we'll focus on those he actually killed, rather than simply defeating, which also means there are spoilers from every major game here.
Spoilers For The God Of War Series Ahead
18 Ares
God Of War
- Killed in God of War (2005).
As the main antagonist of the first God of War game and a notorious figure in God of War: Ascension, Ares was the original God of War in the games, as well as in Greek mythology. As many fans remember, Ares previously tricked Kratos into slaying his family, so many might say Ares' destruction was in good taste.
With the aid of Athena and the Blade of the Gods, Kratos defeated Ares in a long, arduous fight by dodging brutal attacks and impaling Ares with the blade. Stabbed through the chest with a weapon forged by gods, Ares finally perishes. Now, the new God of War, Kratos, is considered a god with extraordinary abilities.
17 Clotho, Lahkesis, And Atropos
The Sisters Of Fate
- Killed in God of War 2.
Though the game doesn't refer to the Fates as goddesses, Greek mythology considers them as such, and they're also some of the most powerful deities out there, since they control how long each person will live.
Lahkesis and Atropos team up against Kratos, and Atropos even goes back in time to the fight between Kratos and Ares to disrupt it and make Ares win. In the end, Kratos traps them in a mirror and breaks it, so they're most likely dead or trapped in the glass or somewhere. Clotho fights Kratos individually and ends up with a blade passing through her skull.
16 Athena
Goddess Of War And Wisdom
- Killed in God of War 2.
Known as both the Goddess of War and Wisdom, Athena is depicted as a noble goddess in most of the God of War games. In fact, she appears in the original God of War as Kratos' guide and co-conspirator in killing Ares. She also appears in God of War 2 and briefly as an illusion in God of War (2018).
However, Athena tries to stop Kratos from fighting Zeus in order to save Olympus. In a struggle where she tries to grasp Kratos' blade, Kratos accidentally impales her. Kratos exclaims, "Why do you sacrifice yourself?" and she responds in a noble manner with "To save Olympus."
15 Persephone
Goddess Of Spring
- Killed in God of War: Chains Of Olympus.
Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, wears armor when she fights Kratos in God of War: Chains of Olympus. She's designed to be a character with wings and armor who also resembles Marvel depictions of Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death. Persephone, however, joined Hades as the Queen of the Underworld.
The fight between Kratos and Persephone is an epic battle. It takes place at the end of God of War: Chains of Olympus as the final boss fight. Persephone uses flight for enhanced maneuvering and conjures sizable rocks to hurl at Kratos. The battle concludes with Kratos pulverizing Persephone to death using the Gauntlet of Zeus.
14 Poseidon
God Of The Sea
- Killed in God of War 3.
As the first god to be seen in the God of War series, Poseidon makes a return in God of War 3. In fact, he is the first boss you fight in the game. Being the God of the Sea, Poseidon carries with him a plethora of devastating powers and abilities. This includes (so far as fans can discern) cryokinesis (manipulating ice), hydrokinesis (controlling water), and hydro-electrokinesis (generating electricity over water). His boss battle version also has horses, animals he created.
Despite not being a problem previously, Poseidon's death was a necessary thing since the darkness of Pandora's Box had infected him. However, the battle isn't nearly as wild as the one Kratos had with Ares. Kratos kills the King of the Sea while facing his human form, breaking Poseidon's neck and squeezing his eyes.
13 Hades
God Of The Underworld
- Killed in God of War 3.
The Hades we see in the God of War series is a bit different than the charismatic Disney version — and Greek mythology, for that matter. Though redesigned after the first game, all iterations of Hades terrify and intimidate.
There are also other differences, such as the way he fights Kratos in the game. For starters, Hades is obsessed with trying to steal Kratos' soul in the games. In the end, Kratos responds by ironically stealing his soul back with his own weapon, which then becomes part of Kratos' arsenal. Does this mean Kratos is also technically the God of the Underworld? Who knows.
12 Helios
God Of The Sun
- Killed in God of War 3.
As the God of the Sun, Helios is a major villain in God of War 3. He might not look like much, but Helios is one of the most powerful gods in existence. The death of Helios was a brutal one, and you control Kratos throughout the ordeal.
You tear Helios' head off of his body entirely. Helios screams in agony after his head is detached from his body. Naturally, the head of Helios becomes an item in the game that allows you to light your way forward and uncover secrets - as well as blind enemies.
11 Hermes
Messenger Of The Gods (Among Many Other Things)
- Killed in God of War 3.
You may have noticed that a lot of gods died in the third game, and we still have a few more to go. The god of travel, thieves, and merchants, among other things, tries to stop Kratos during his rampage across Olympus.
He proves to be the fastest one, making Kratos run in circles. However, Kratos is a general and knows what he's doing. He hits Hermes with a catapult, hindering him and making him slow enough for a proper fight. Once the fight is over, Kratos tears his legs off, one at a time, and Hermes bleeds to death while Kratos gets his boots for some speed bursts.
In the mobile game most people don't know about, God of War: Betrayal, Kratos kills Ceryx, Hermes' son.
10 Hephaestus
God Of Blacksmiths
- Killed in God of War 3.
In the game series, Hephaestus (traditionally known as the Greek God of Forges, Metalworking, Fire, and more) is a bit of a dark horse in Olympus. He used to be married to Aphrodite but has since been imprisoned in an Underworld Forge by Zeus after a beating that left the forge master mutilated.
Kratos merely needed his help with a quest, but that quest involved killing Pandora, Hephaestus' daughter, so the Smith God attempted to kill Kratos. Kratos kills him after such an attempt, first by electrocuting him and then impaling him through the heart.
9 Hera
Goddess Of Marriage
- Killed in God of War 3.
The God of War game series is loosely based on Greek mythology but take 'based on' with a big grain of salt. In traditional Greek mythology, Hera is Zeus' jealous wife. In this case, Hera is somewhat accurate because she shows jealousy towards Zeus' offspring, who is the Goddess of Marriage.
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PostsWhile in a drunken stupor, Hera makes a fatal mistake by calling Pandora "that little whore." In a blinding rage, Kratos snaps Hera's neck so she may never speak again. That's a grim ending for a goddess that fans didn't really get to know at all.
